Kusha | |
---|---|
Prince of Ayodhya King of Kasur | |
Spouse | Kumudvatī (referred as Champika in Ananda Ramayana) |
Dynasty | Raghuvamsha-Suryavamsha |
Father | Rama |
Mother | Sita |
Kusha (Sanskrit: कुश, IAST: Kuśa) and his younger twin brother Lava were the children of Rama and Sita.[1] Their story is recounted in the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Hindu traditions claim he ruled the entire region of Kashmir, Indus River and Hindu Kush as frontier lands of India known as Hindu Kush Kshetra and founded the city of Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley and Kasur with Lavapuri of Lava in base lands,[2] though local lore contends Kasur was founded in 1525 by Pashtun migrants.[3][4][5] His brother Lava is traditionally believed to have founded Lavapuri (current day city of Lahore).
The imperial line that ruled Kingdom of Benares-Kashi and the Maurya Empire, which ruled South Asia from 320 to 185 BCE, claimed descent from Kusha. Kusha is said to be a Raghuvamshi Ikshvaku Suryavanshi. He got two children from his wife Kumudvati Athithi (son) and Kanikamalika (daughter, wife of Yadava descent king Mahabhoja).